Tree service scammers return money to victim

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MENOMONEE FALLS - Last night there was a huge pile of wood here. Tonight this is all that's left after a tree service that abandoned the job for a week finally followed through.

The homeowner fought for justice. Tonight, she got it.

$1,000 of Ann Farrenkopf's money is back in her hands. It took almost a week to get it, when a tree service calling themselves Arbor Tech Tree Care left a mess in her yard. After a week of waiting, and police on the scene, Ann got a call from the crew leader.

"He said he was in a pickle, that he needed his equipment to get some work done, and I said that's funny because I'm in a pickle here too because i need some work done that I paid for."

Just like Joe Bach of New Berlin, scammed out of thousands earlier this month from the same company.

"They're as phony as a six dollar bill," Bill says.

Ann had that in her arsenal when she went after what she was owed.

"He didn't know if he could get that because he doesn't have it and I said 'well, why don't you look into the $5,500 you got from a man in New Berlin and see if you can figure out how to get some of that!" Ann remembers. "He said he was really sorry, this was an issue

and he'd see what he could do and he hung up on me."

It worked, because three guys finally showed up Friday night, money in hand. They removed most of the wood, and took their equipment with them.

A homeowner who stood her ground - and gave the bad guys a run for their money.

"I hope they leave Wisconsin and no one in Wisconsin has to deal with them."

The guys told Ann they'd be back Saturday to pick up what's left of the wood. She tells TODAY'S TMJ4 she's not holding her breath.

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